What lies behind domestic water use? : a review essay on the drivers of domestic water consumption

Water constitutes and essential flow for the reproduction of urban environments. However and differently than other essential flows such as energy, money or materials, water is essentially bounded to local or regional environments for direct uses. Water stressed urban environments (such those in Mediterranean areas) are prone to suffer water scarcity both due to physical variables but also to human and social factors. Thus, understanding which factors lay behind urban water consumption is critical both in theory terms and also in technical and policy related matters. While the economic and technical literature has paid a great deal of attention to the role of price and other socio-economic drivers, the present work reviews other types of research carried out in the field of domestic water consumption drivers, and highlights the potential contributions of studying territorial, demographic and cultural factors, all of them of great interest for Geography

Flujos de capital y flujos de agua : la industria textil y la privatización del suministro de agua en la ciudad de Sabadell durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX

El artículo aborda la historia del suministro de agua en la ciudad de Sabadell durante el s. XX y muy particularmente el proceso de privatización del servicio que culminó en 1949 con la creación de la compañía CASSA. El principal argumento teórico que sustenta la explica¬ción del desarrollo de este proceso es la estrecha relación existente entre agua y urbanización o, en otras palabras, entre el control de servicios básicos por parte de intereses privados y el crecimiento urbano. Así, hacia finales del s. XX, cuando el sector textil que había sustentado el desarrollo económico de Sabadell durante los decenios precedentes entra en crisis, una nueva actividad conformada alrededor del ciclo del agua permite ganar nuevos ámbitos de negocio para las élites de la ciudad. La empresa CASSA constituye un ejemplo más, por otra parte, del tránsito de Sabadell desde una fuerte vocación industrial hasta la actual ciudad especializada en servicios como la banca, las finanzas o el propio suministro de bienes básicos como el agua

Postoperative arrhythmia in patients with bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis

OBJECTIVES Bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (BDCPA) is part of the staged Fontan palliation for congenital heart defects with single-ventricle morphology. The aim of this study was to describe incidence and characteristics of early postoperative arrhythmias in patients undergoing BDCPA. METHODS Retrospective analysis of 60 patients undergoing BDCPA at the age of <12 months from 2001 to 2008 at a single centre. Arrhythmias were subclassified in sinus bradycardia, premature atrial/ventricular contraction, supraventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block. The groups were compared according to age at operation and diagnosis. Postoperative follow-up data were included until Fontan completion. RESULTS Postoperative arrhythmia was observed in 20 patients: 12 temporary and 8 persisting until hospital discharge. Sinus bradycardia is a common postoperative arrhythmia and occurred in 16 patients (9 transient, 7 persistent until hospital discharge). One patient undergoing BDCPA and a Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure had a persisting first-degree atrioventricular block. The occurrence of a postoperative arrhythmia was independent of age and diagnostic group (hypoplastic left heart vs non-hypoplasic left heart). After hospital discharge, five of the eight arrhythmia resolved spontaneously resulting in 2 patients with sinus bradycardia and 1 patient with a first-degree AV block immediately before the Fontan completion was undertaken. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative arrhythmias in patients with BDCPA occur early after surgery and are temporary. Severe and life-threatening arrhythmias are rare although the interventions are complex and the patients very young. The most common arrhythmia is sinus bradycardi

Implementing the flipped classroom methodology to the subject 'applied computing' of two engineering degrees at the University of Barcelona

This work is focused on the implementation, development, documentation, analysis, and assessment of the flipped classroom methodology, by means of the just-in-time teaching strategy, for a pilot group (1 out of 6) in the subject 'Applied Computing' of both the Chemical and Materials Engineering Undergraduate Degrees of the University of Barcelona. Results show that this technique promotes self-learning, autonomy, time management as well as an increase in the effectiveness of classroom hours

Mortality and neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of age comparing hybrid and Norwood procedures

OBJECTIVES Neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) are at risk of high mortality and neurodevelopmental morbidity. As an alternative to Norwood-type stage I palliation, the hybrid procedure has been developed. It consists of bilateral pulmonary artery banding, catheter-based stenting of the arterial duct and balloon atrioseptostomy and delays open-heart surgery. Thus, it may be associated with a better outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the mortality and neurodevelopmental outcome in patients with HLHS and other univentricular heart (UVH) defects treated with hybrid or Norwood procedures. METHODS Thirty-one children (18 males) with HLHS and other UVH defects undergoing Norwood or hybrid procedure between 2004 and 2008 were consecutively enrolled. Mortality and neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year of age were determined. RESULTS One-year mortality was 36% (31% in the hybrid vs. 39% in the Norwood group, P=0.71). Predictors of mortality were lower birth weight (P=0.02), older age at first procedure (P=0.02) and smaller size of ascending aorta (P=0.05). Overall, median psychomotor development index (PDI) and mental development index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II were lower than the norm of 100 [PDI 57 (49-99), P<0.001; MDI 91 (65-109), P=0.002]. No effect of surgical treatment on neurodevelopmental outcome was found. Predictors of impaired motor outcome were length of hospital stay (LOHS) (P=0.01), lower body weight at second procedure (P=0.004) and female sex (P=0.01). Predictors of impaired cognitive outcome were longer mechanical ventilation time (P=0.03), intensive care unit stay (P=0.04) and LOHS (P<0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Mortality at 1 year of age is comparable between patients undergoing hybrid and Norwood procedures. Early neurodevelopmental outcome is significantly impaired in patients with both HLHS and other UVH defects. Multicentre randomized studies are needed to determine the long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of children treated with the hybrid procedur

Role of the Adiponectin Binding Protein, T-Cadherin (cdh13), in Pulmonary Responses to Subacute Ozone

Adiponectin, an adipose derived hormone with pleiotropic functions, binds to several proteins, including T-cadherin. We have previously reported that adiponectin deficient (Adipo−/−) mice have increased IL-17A-dependent neutrophil accumulation in their lungs after subacute exposure to ozone (0.3 ppm for 72 hrs). The purpose of this study was to determine whether this anti-inflammatory effect of adiponectin required adiponectin binding to T-cadherin. Wildtype, Adipo−/−, T-cadherin deficient (T-cad−/−), and bideficient (Adipo−/−/T-cad−/−) mice were exposed to subacute ozone or air. Compared to wildtype mice, ozone-induced increases in pulmonary IL-17A mRNA expression were augmented in T-cad−/− and Adipo−/− mice. Compared to T-cad−/− mice, there was no further increase in IL-17A in Adipo−/−/T-cad−/− mice, indicating that adiponectin binding to T-cadherin is required for suppression of ozone-induced IL-17A expression. Similar results were obtained for pulmonary mRNA expression of saa3, an acute phase protein capable of inducing IL-17A expression. Comparison of lung histological sections across genotypes also indicated that adiponectin attenuation of ozone-induced inflammatory lesions at bronchiolar branch points required T-cadherin. BAL neutrophils and G-CSF were augmented in T-cad−/− mice and further augmented in Adipo−/−/T-cad−/− mice. Taken together with previous observations indicating that augmentation of these moieties in ozone exposed Adipo−/− mice is partially IL-17A dependent, the results indicate that effects of T-cadherin deficiency on BAL neutrophils and G-CSF are likely secondary to changes in IL-17A, but that adiponectin also acts via T-cadherin independent pathways. Our results indicate that T-cadherin is required for the ability of adiponectin to suppress some but not all aspects of ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation